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Dipoto not concerned with moves throughout AL West

Dipoto not concerned with moves throughout AL West

MLB Tonight talks to Ryan Divish on Robinson Cano signing with Seattle and discusses the impact the signing has throughout baseball

By Alden Gonzalez
/
MLB.com |

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The American League West looks a lot tougher now, Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto can safely admit, but he's also determined not to let moves by the A's, Rangers, Mariners and Astros influence how he goes about his business.

"Really, all you can do is measure your needs, and that's what we're doing," Dipoto said. "We're not trying to necessarily see how we match up with other teams position-by-position. We're trying to find the best combination of 25 players that we can put on the field. Anything beyond that, you're thinking about other peoples' business and not your own."

The A's acquired closer Jim Johnson, added Luke Gregerson to a bullpen that is now probably the deepest in baseball, signed Scott Kazmir to a two-year, $22 million deal and traded prospect Michael Choice for Craig Gentry -- win-now moves for a team that has been eliminated in the AL Division Series each of the past two seasons.

The Rangers, who have won at least 90 games in four straight seasons, swapped Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder and are still looking for another bat.

The Astros handed out a three-year, $30 million contract to starter Scott Feldman, whom the Angels were mildly interested in, and traded for former Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler.

And the Mariners reeled in the biggest free agent of the offseason, snatching Robinson Cano from the Yankees via a 10-year, $240-million, Albert Pujols-like contract, a deal that could be the first big step in making Seattle a competitor again.

"Great player," Dipoto said of Cano. "The division is getting better around us. Now it's on us to make sure we keep up."